The Wraith of Remnant
by Vanguard523
Summary: The Black Hand, The Hammer, The Tower and Sauron's Warchiefs are defeated. However, after Talion and Celebrimbor attempt to travel to a nearby Eldar tower, things go wrong and they don't end up where they expected.
1. This Isn't Nurn

"Celebrimbor, where are we? This does not look like any part of Nurn we've visited before." Talion asked the Elven wraith.

The ring-smith's ghostly figure showed itself and gazed around at the surroundings. "I do not know. My vision was focused on the Eldar tower, but soon became clouded with darkness and now we are here." He summarized.

The two were puzzled as Talion had just eliminated another of Sauron's many warchiefs after killing the Black Hand and once they were safe, Talion had asked the wraith to transport him to a nearby tower, only to end up in the middle of a forest shrouded with greenery.

"Something lurks in these woods." Celebrimbor warned the ranger, disappearing from Talion's view.

He then drew Urfael and prepared for combat as a blonde girl wearing a tan jacket, black shorts, gauntlets and a yellow undershirt emerged from the brush with a device in her hand, looking straight at him.

Team RWBY had been chasing down a man part of the White Fang organization and were now spread out in the Emerald forest, desperately seeking out the valuable source of potential information. Yang was walking around as stealthily as she could, taking lessons from her cat-faunus partner.  
"Does anyone see him?" Ruby asked over the team chat on the scroll Yang held in her hand.

"Nothing yet, Ruby." Her sister replied.

"No." Blake called.

"Not yet." Weiss added.

Yang let out a frustrated sigh and painted a mental image of the man they were tracking down. Mid-thirties, black, greying hair wearing a greenish-grey shirt with a grey cloak and leather boots carrying a sword. The team had not gotten a very good look at the man, but they still had some idea of whom they were searching for. Yang thought it was her lucky day when she got out of the brush and glanced to her side to see the man in question with his sword drawn, staring her down.

 _She looks to be about Dirhael's age._ Talion thought, saddened at the sudden reminder of his deceased son. He shook himself awake as the girl suddenly charged at him, fist raised and ready to hit. The ranger dodged out of the way and slashed at the enemy, successfully landing a hit, although oddly enough, not causing her to bleed. The girl spun around and aimed a right hook at his head, which he countered by letting metal meet metal as sword and gauntlet clashed and Talion kicked his opponent in the stomach, causing her to reel back. Then, when their thoughts collided, the captain of the Black Gate allowed Celebrimbor to take over his body and he slammed a fist into the ground, causing a shockwave that stunned the attacker. Talion regained control over his body and walked over to his opponent, placing her in a chokehold, but she was still strong as she elbowed him sharply in the ribs, causing him to let go. She then let loose a blast from both of her gauntlets and the projectiles impacted in the ranger's chest, leaving him wounded and stunned on the ground. However, as if the brutal training he had endured during his time at the Black Gate wasn't enough, when he was resurrected by Celebrimbor, Talion's endurance, strength, speed and reflexes had all been vastly enhanced, making the impact of the hit feel like nothing more than the bite of a mosquito.

The captain swiftly got up and prepared for another bout, as his opponent appeared to be doing the same.

 _Why is this guy bleeding already?_ Yang asked herself as she gazed at the spot on the man's body where she had fired Ember Celica. _And how did he do that shockwave thing?_ She would've gone on wondering if she wasn't so focused on beating her opponent. She attempted to strike the man again and again, each punch either being dodged, countered or just missing completely. Soon, she got so enraged that her semblance had activated itself and she was now a flurry of fists and fire, moving far faster than before.

Eventually, frustration also crept into Talion's mind as he fought off his attacker, countering her strikes and then striking her and allowing for the ring-smith to aid him in his altercation. Soon enough, he found himself striking without mercy, sword slashes dealing devastating damage that normally would've killed any uruk outright, sending shockwaves to the ground that felled the trees and causing his sword to glow a bright blue.

After Talion had blocked yet another attack from his opponent, his other half decided that enough was enough and fired three Elven arrows at his opponent, all of them striking her directly in the head.

Yang didn't know what happened. She had aimed a punch at the man's gut, he blocked it, then the rest was a faint memory as she lay on the ground, her head feeling as though Nora had just hit it with Magnhild. Her eyes fluttered open and her attacker placed her in another chokehold. Yang was too weak to fight back as he spun her around and placed his left hand on her cheek. The right side of her face burned as she felt her knees buckle and she saw an odd, ghost-like figure replace the man she had fought with.

"YOU **WILL** OBEY!" It thundered. "Where are we?" It demanded.

Yang felt her mouth move and heard the words leave her mouth, but it was not of her own volition. This… thing was probing around her mind, seeking any and all information it wanted.

"The Emerald Forest, at Beacon Academy." She replied.

"Why did you attack?" Celebrimbor pushed further.

"I thought you were someone else, someone me and my team were tracking." The girl stated.

 _Celebrimbor, release her. She has told us all that we need to know._ The Elf-smith agreed and let Talion take control as the girl groaned in pain and fell backwards, unconscious.

"Yang! Yang!" A high-pitched voice called. Talion looked up from the comatose blonde girl to another wearing a red and black themed outfit, her eyes wide and jaw open as she looked at the sight in front of her. Celebrimbor phased in front of Talion, blocking his view.

"I will **not** fight her. She reminds me far too much of my own daughter." The wraith stated simply as he disappeared once again. As he faded away, Talion saw two other girls behind the one in red, one dressed in white and the other in black carrying an unconscious man between them and they gawked at the ranger and his unconscious assailant.

Ruby had regrouped with Weiss and Blake after they had reported finding and capturing the man they were looking for. She then led the search for her sister and upon seeing her helpless on the ground while a man that resembled the one they already had in custody stood over her, staring back.

The little reaper prepared Crescent Rose for battle, but the man held up his hands in and shouted for her to stop.

"I have no ill intentions!" He called. "She started attacking me and I defended myself, that's all!"

For a minute, Ruby doubted the man but then remembered her sister's tendency to punch first and ask questions later. She folded up the sniper-scythe and rushed over to Yang to make sure she was okay.

"She's fine, just weary." The man declared. Ruby wanted to believe him, but once she examined her sister's head, she noticed a large bruise that undoubtedly hurt.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Talion, former captain of the rangers of the Black Gate." At the mention of the fact that the man was a captain, Ruby immediately assumed that the man was military and probably stationed somewhere else and had just gotten lost.

"Okay, I'm Ruby. Can you help us get her back to Beacon?" She asked. Talion said nothing, merely picked up Yang and nodded.

As they walked, Celebrimbor entered the wraith world and noticed four large figures in the distance heading towards the party. Talion stopped and gingerly placed the blonde girl against a tree where she would be comfortable. Ruby looked at the man, confused.

"What are you-" That was as far as she got before four beowolves emerged from the forest in front of them and let loose howls of rage.

Before any of the three girls could unsheathe their weapons or literally blink, two of the monsters dropped, the first with a large gash in its throat, the second with a sword-shaped hole in it's skull while Talion stood atop the third, eyes glowing blue instead of red as it wrestled the fourth. The ranger slashed repeatedly at his new attacker and with the beowolf's help, brought it to death with a bite to the throat. Once the last one began to disintegrate, he leapt off the monster and with a clench of his left fist, detonated the head of the beowolf.

The three girls stood in shock at the mysterious man's abilities, wondering he had managed to kill two beowolves in less than a second and somehow control a third into killing another.

"I think it's about time you told us who you really are." Weiss stated with crossed arms.

Talion turned around to face the heiress. "I've already told you who I am." He said with a shrug.

"What's your semblance?" Blake demanded.

"Semblance?" The ranger parroted.

"How did you manage to move so fast?" Ruby asked.

He contemplated telling the girls about his Elven companion, but the ring-smith objected to the idea.

"They need not know who I am, or that I exist. Until such a time as it is necessary, secrecy is key." Celebrimbor declared.

"Much skill." The ranger replied. "Years and years of practice has taught me to kill quickly."

The three girls looked doubtfully at each other, but eventually decided to trust the man as he picked up Yang once more and they continued to make their way back to Beacon.

Professor Ozpin waited at the top of Beacon cliff as the top first-year team made their way to the airship docks where a bullhead manned by Atlas military personnel waited to receive their prisoner. But he noticed something was off. Although the Professor had near-perfect vision, he noticed that there were six shapes instead of five. Confused, he made his way to the docks to greet team RWBY and debrief them.

As he got closer, he noticed that Yang Xiao Long was in the arms of a man who looked remarkably similar to the other man that they were hunting and the Headmaster, not being a fan of strangers to his Academy, approached with a frown.

"Thank you, ladies. We will place him in custody and begin the interrogation tomorrow morning." The Atlesian soldier said, dragging the man onto the aircraft.

"Anytime." Ruby said with a two-fingered salute. She then turned her attention to the strange man and her unconscious sister.

"Do you have a medical tent nearby?" He asked.

"There's the infirmary if that's what you mean." Blake interjected.

Talion nodded. "Just point me in the direction." Weiss then noticed Professor Ozpin approaching and elbowed her partner to alert her to the Headmaster's presence.

"Professor!" The little Reaper greeted him. "What can we do for you?"

Ozpin's face remained frowning. "For starters Miss Rose, can you tell me who this man is?" He said, gesturing with his mug to Talion.

"He's uh…" She started, not sure how to word her next sentence. "A friend… I guess."

"Hmm." Ozpin then dialled the number for the infirmary and ordered two doctors immediately get out to the docks with a stretcher for Yang. They promptly arrived and placed the fiery blonde on the cloth before taking her away.

"I would like to speak to all four of you in my office. Now." Ozpin said with an unusual amount of anger. The three girls all shuddered in fear while Talion, unfamiliar with the man and his mannerisms, merely followed behind him.

Once they were all at the top floor of the clock tower with Ruby, Weiss and Blake seated in chairs in front of the Headmaster's desk while Talion merely stood behind them, Ozpin began to speak.

"You came in bearing one of my students." He said, addressing Talion. "And although it may have looked like you were simply helping from an outsider's point of view, I prefer not to assume and must consider all options."

"You believe I harmed her?" Talion stated rather than asked.

The headmaster nodded as he sat at his desk. "That is one possible option, yes. But I need the rest of team RWBY's opinion on the matter." He turned his gaze to the three girls. "What happened?"

Ruby shrugged. "I…I don't know for sure, Professor. But after we got the actual bad guy, we tried to get to Yang and we found him standing over her when she was knocked out." Ozpin nodded at the news and his expression grew grim. "But after I was about to attack him, he said that Yang hit him first and he defended himself." Ruby quickly interjected.

"Hmm." The Headmaster pondered the little Rose's words. Yang's academic record did show that she had a reputation for striking without question, and considering the fact that the man they were hunting looked similar to the man in front of him, it also could've been a case of mistaken identity.

Talion waited for the silver-haired man to speak again as Celebrimbor showed himself to the ranger. "Remember, secrecy is key. What these mortals do not know will not harm them." The former captain silently agreed and waited for the Professor's response.

"Thank you girls, you may leave us. Go back to your dorm, get some rest and when you are able, visit your teammate in the infirmary." He stated. The girls thanked the Professor and made for the elevator. Once the doors closed, Ozpin smirked at the ranger. "So, are you going to introduce me to your companion?"

Talion shrugged. "I came here myself."

The other man nodded. "That may be a feasible lie to others, but I'm talking about the one shrouded in darkness and blue."

Celebrimbor phased in front of Talion and looked directly at the Professor. "You can see me." He declared.

Ozpin nodded. "I do not know who you are, but I get the feeling that you already know my name." He said to the wraith.

"My name is of no importance to you. All you need to know is that myself and Talion do not wish to harm you nor your students."

"Celebrimbor." Talion addressed the Elven ring smith. "How is he able to see you?"

The wraith sighed. "Just as any who come into contact with the rings of power are able to visualize me, a being of similar power is also able to perceive me."

"The rings of power?" Ozpin echoed. "I sense you two are not from this world."

"No, but I have a plan to get back." Celebrimbor replied.

Ozpin nodded as he poured himself some more coffee. "What do you need?"

"Time and stone." The Elven wraith replied. "And lots of it."


	2. Proper Introductions

"Do you have any idea as to how long construction will take?" Talion asked the Headmaster as they stood side-by-side at the top of Beacon cliff.

Ozpin shook his head as several construction workers began to level the foundation for their project. "Unfortunately, no. Designs the Bright Master gave me were vague and from what I've heard, the building must be precise in order to function properly. But I anticipate a month at minimum."

The Elf-smith in question phased beside his ranger counterpart and gazed towards the work being done. "The Eldar tower must be built to perfection if we are to ever have a chance of returning to Middle-Earth." He declared.

"And you're sure this is the only option?" Talion asked, hoping to receive a positive answer.

"Yes. I do not possess the materials nor the proper environment in which to forge another ring of power, so until your men finish construction, Headmaster, we are bound to this realm." Celebrimbor stated before vanishing from sight.

Talion hung his head and sighed. "Damn."

"Somewhere you need to be?" Ozpin asked.

"No, it's just…" He heaved another aggravated sigh. "I just feel useless. Being forced to wait until I'm able to leave, unable to stop Sauron's evil from corrupting more men."

The two had regaled their new friend about their encounter with the Dark Lord and Ozpin could definitely understand the kind of evil they were facing. "You don't have to wait and watch if you don't want to." He suddenly said.

"What do you mean?"

The wise Professor shrugged. "Well, if you prefer to fight evil rather than stand around all day, I suppose you could assist me and my students in combating the creatures of grimm."

Celebrimbor appeared once again, in front of the Professor. "That would arouse suspicion, a sudden new compatriot fighting alongside the students with no explanation."

The former captain nodded in agreement. "What would we tell them if we were to agree?"

Ozpin took a drink from his mug and exhaled contently, his coffee just the right temperature. "The truth." Both ranger and wraith looked at each other, flabbergasted. "If I told any one of my students that you were a man who was killed, then resurrected by a third party and from another world, they would most likely dismiss it as a thin lie to conceal the truth." He then chuckled at the expressions on the other two faces. "Rumors and secrets float around here like leaves on water. Over time, the truth is distorted and becomes impossible to believe."

Talion threw his hands out to the side in resignation. "It beats sitting around and watching as others fight when they can use the help, Celebrimbor." He pointed out.

The wraith was about to argue when he realized that both he and Ozpin made good points. Celebrimbor had waited centuries for an opportunity to combat the Dark Lord and he was sick of waiting. He sighed and turned his gaze to the Headmaster. "Very well. Tell your students what you wish." Ozpin smiled and nodded. "Just know that we will only fight these creatures, not those you claim to be criminals. We do not know this world well enough to know who is right and who is wrong and will not take a chance in aiding someone who may be fighting against good."

"Agreed." Talion added with a nod to the wraith and a glare at the Professor, who nodded back.

"Understandable, gentlemen. When I have a mission for you, I will ask that Talion be called to my office." He declared, walking away. "Until then, I suggest you make yourself familiar with the school grounds." Ozpin called back.

Once he was out of earshot, Talion turned to Celebrimbor. "Do you think we can trust him?"

"I do not know for sure, but he possess a great amount of strength and has done nothing to suggest that he wishes to bend others to his will as Sauron does." The ranger still glared where Ozpin had walked off. "But only time will tell." The ring-smith stated before disappearing.

"I hope you're right." Talion mumbled as he made for the school.

Even though the undead ranger did not need food, water or sleep or even air, he checked out the cafeteria first, just to gaze at the many young faces who were eager to become huntsmen and huntresses.

"They're all so young." He mumbled.

"The Headmaster said they are trained to fight the creatures that threaten to destroy their world. One does not sign up for a job such as this without first knowing the risks." Celebrimbor interjected, pacing in front of the ranger.

"That doesn't change the fact that they are too young to face death." He replied, glaring at the wraith. "You and I both know what it's like to lose someone long before they should die."

Celebrimbor said nothing, merely gave a grunt of acknowledgment and faded away. Moments later, Ruby cautiously walked in front of the ranger to get his attention.

"Hey. Do you wanna… I don't know, join me and my team for lunch?" She offered.

"Sure. I don't see the harm." He replied, following Ruby back to her table. They sat down, Ruby and Talion on one side of the table with Blake and Weiss on the other.

The heiress gave Talion a look of apprehension before returning to her midday meal whereas Blake merely looked up at the man, took a bite of her tuna sandwich and returned to her book.

The ranger scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I ah… I apologize if I caused any of you any trouble back in the forest."

Ruby shrugged. "It's no big deal. Yang was just being Yang. We can't blame you for that." She turned to her remaining teammates. "Right guys?"

Blake nodded. "She's right. And you also killed those beowolves for us, so I don't have anything against you." The cat-faunus declared.

"Yeah…" Weiss started. "How exactly did you do that anyway?" Talion opened his mouth, but she interrupted. "And don't tell us that it's training. I don't think that even the most well-trained huntsman on Remnant could've pulled that off."

He exhaled deeply before answering and looked directly into the heiress' eyes. "It's because I was resurrected by a wraith. I actually died several months ago, and am now imbued with increased abilities."

An ominous silence fell over the three girls as they digested the information before Ruby spoke up. "Yeah right. Now tell me the one about how the chicken crossed the road." She said with a snort as she returned to her chocolate chip cookies. Weiss groaned in frustration while Blake just kept on reading.

"The Headmaster was not lying." Celebrimbor said approvingly.

Talion silently agreed before something occurred to him. He turned to the little Reaper beside him and nudged her elbow. "Ruby? Was it?" She nodded back with a smile and a mouth stuffed with the cookies. "What are their names?" He asked, gesturing to the two across the table.

She chewed her food and swallowed before holding her head in her hands and mumbling "Gah, I'm so dumb!" Talion chuckled at the little Rose's attitude as she pointed a finger at her partner. "That's Weiss and that's Blake. Yang's my sister."

A massive wave of sadness descended on the ranger as he realized just whom he had injured. "Oh. I'm sorry I hurt her."

Ruby shrugged off the apology. "Meh, don't worry about it. The doctors said it's nothing major. She'll be sleeping back in our dorm tonight."

"But won't be doing any fighting for a while." Weiss added.

Blake shook her head. "You know she's not going to go for that."

"Not if it's doctor's orders." The heiress declared.

The black-clad fighter's brow furrowed in confusion as she looked up from her book. "Since when has Yang ever listened to anyone besides us or the Professors ever?"

Ruby chuckled as the two continued to argue over Yang's future condition while Talion could only watch in fear as the argument got heated.

"Does this happen often?" He asked, leaning next to Ruby.

She shook her head. "No, not really. They'll both forget about it tomorrow though.

He smirked back. "That's good that they don't hold grudges. It's what makes a team together, even through the worst of times."

She nodded in agreement and decided to ask a question that had been on her mind for some time. "So what did Professor Ozpin want to talk to you about yesterday when we were all in his office?"

"Just that if he ever needed my help for a mission that he'd let me know."

Ruby gave the man a confused look. "You'll be going on missions with us?"

He shrugged. "Maybe with you and your team, maybe by myself. He didn't specify. But I'll be gone once I can get out of here."

"Why don't you just leave now? I'm sure the airships are ready to take you anywhere you want to go." She stated, confused.

Talion shook his head. "No, my transportation isn't finished being built yet."

 _Probably a fancy luxury jet._ She thought to herself as she finished the plate of cookies. "Okay guys, we should probably get some studying done." She said, interrupting her bickering teammates. "See you around, Tal!" She called to the ranger, leaving her seat.

He paused, confused at the unexpected nickname. "Tal?" He mumbled.

"It appears that she sees you as a friend, not an enemy." Celebrimbor observed.

The ranger let the ghost of a smile grace his lips at the statement. _A friend. Time has long since passed since I've encountered one of those._

The ranger spent the remaining afternoon familiarizing himself with the school grounds as classes ran with business as usual. Near the end of the school day, the last place he checked was the sparring arena, a class already in session with an exhausted blond teenager with a sword and shield facing off against another much larger student heavily armored with a mace.

Talion quietly opened and closed the door and found a spot from which he could survey the fight. The blond rushed forward with a yell and found himself locked in a contest of brute strength as his opponent blocked the hit and pushed against the sword. After Talion saw the two exchange words, the blond swordsman fell and the teacher called the match, declaring the mace-wielder the winner.

 _He has the warrior's spirit, but lacks the strength._ Talion thought.

"Through great training however, he can become a great fighter." The wraith added.

As the dismissal bell rang, Talion decided to introduce himself to the Professor who had overseen the match.

He approached as Professor Goodwitch made additional notes to Jaune Arc's sparring record when she looked up to see him approaching. "You must be Talion." She stated.

"Yes. And your name is?"  
She politely extended her hand. "Professor Glynda Goodwitch. I am the sparring instructor as well as aura coach for Beacon academy. Professor Ozpin has already informed me about you and your friend as well." She said as Talion shook her hand. "While I can't say that I find your situation feasible, I trust the Headmaster and his judgement."

"Yes, it might not seem real, but trust me when I say that it is indeed true." Talion said with a chuckle. She didn't smile back, but nodded. "Anyway, how did that last match go?"

Goodwitch shook her head. "It's a shame. I believe that Jaune Arc has such potential, but it's almost like he's afraid to unlock it."

"He's the swordsman?" The ranger asked.

"Yes." She replied. "His opponent was Cardin Winchester, a student who is stronger, tougher and also able to properly gauge his aura level."

Talion grimaced in sadness. "Is there hope for him at least?"

Goodwitch nodded. "His partner, Pyrrha Nikos could train him."

That brightened the ranger's mood slightly. "That's good. By the way, would you be able to direct me to the other professor's classrooms, that I might be able to introduce myself?"

She nodded and gave the former captain instructions on where to go to Professor Port and Oobleck's classes.

"Thank you Miss Goodwitch, it was nice meeting you." Talion said as he walked towards the other teacher's classes.

"You too, Talion." She then waited until he was out of earshot and let a smirk crawl on her face. "Bart and Peter are going to talk the poor bastard to death." She mumbled to herself, resuming her work with her scroll.

True to her prediction, Doctor Oobleck expressed a deep fascination with the ranger's situation and had several dozen questions, of which Talion was only able to answer two: how they had become bound together and what that meant for the former captain. Professor Port on the other hand, droned on and on about how the Talion's tale of vengeance reminded him of one time when he was just a boy and his dog had gotten lost…

"Infuriated, I stormed across the street to my neighbor's house and demanded where my dog was, thinking that he had taken it." Port recalled.

"That's quite a tale, Professor but I-"

"I repeatedly beat the poor child until my fists were bruised until I believed that he had not taken my beloved pet…" He droned on.

Talion sighed as Celebrimbor appeared next to the ranger with crossed arms and a smirk at his friend's apparent suffering. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" He whispered to the wraith.

The Elf merely grinned and continued listening to the Professor's story.

"…As it turns out, the poor dog had just gotten loose somehow and returned home after a few days!" Port finished with a laugh.

Talion forced a smile and extended his hand towards the moustached man. "Thank you for meeting with me, Professor Port."

The other man nodded and returned the gesture. "A pleasure, Talion. And please, call me Peter." He asked with a smile.

"Very well, Peter. I hope to hear more of your exploits at a later time, but for now, I must rest." He lied.

"Then I bid you good night and goodbye until next we meet." He added cheerily. As soon as Talion turned around, the smile disappeared from his features and he spent the night keeping an eye out for the creatures of grimm on the border of the Emerald Forest.

"This month will be long and arduous." He thought aloud.

"But the months that follow will be even more so." Celebrimbor said.

The ranger sighed at the statement and began to patrol around the school during the night time hours.


	3. Meeting New People

The sun began to rise over Beacon Academy's grounds, everything as it should be save for a lone figure gazing towards the Emerald forest, sword implanted in the ground with his hands on its pommel.

Talion breathed deeply, wishing that he could feel the breeze, smell the morning dew on the grass, wishing for a mortal life with his wife and son. They were gone however, killed by Sauron masquerading as the Black Hand. Anger soon returned to the ranger's eyes as he recalled the horrific memory of seeing their deaths. He sheathed Urfael, done with his watch and with a wraith-enhanced fist, punched through a tree, causing the large shrub to briefly jump off its stump and fall backwards.

"Control, Talion." Celebrimbor advised, walking alongside his human counterpart towards the clock tower. "If any of the Professors were to see you act out in such a manner, the Headmaster would refuse to help us."

The former captain sighed and shot a look of apology towards the wraith. "Apologies. I just can't remove the image of their deaths from my mind."

"Neither can I." The ring-smith added empathetically. "But let us reserve our rage for the Dark Lord when we return. For now however, we must don the cloak of restraint and wait patiently."

As they got back to Beacon grounds, Ozpin came over the loudspeakers requesting that Talion report to his office. Talion entered the clock tower, walked over to the elevator and hit the button for the top floor, hoping to have a chance to release his pent-up aggression. Upon reaching the uppermost part of the clock tower, they entered the Headmaster's office to see the man in question sitting at his desk, mug in hand.

"Talion. Bright Master." He greeted them both.

"Professor." They said simultaneously.

"I have a mission for the two of you."

Talion immediately got excited at the news and promptly asked what it was they would be doing.

"You will provide protection for a group of three teams of students who will be going into the forest of Forever Fall in two days."

The ranger's heart sank slightly. "Two days?" He parroted.

"Yes. And I know that you have been wanting to have the opportunity to release your aggression on the forces of evil." Talion let out a frustrated sigh at the fact that the Headmaster was just repeating the conversation he just had with Celebrimbor. "Which is why whenever you'd like, you are free to go into either forest and eliminate as many creatures of grimm as you wish." Talion raised his eyebrows at the statement, both stunned and excited. "I never ordered you to stay on Beacon grounds. You are not students or staff, so I have no control over your actions. I only ask that you do not 'brand' the grimm otherwise students will begin to wonder as to why the creatures have become so friendly all of a sudden."

The former captain quickly nodded. "Absolutely, Headmaster. You need not worry about it."

"Agreed. The monsters will lay dead rather than serving us." Celebrimbor added.

Ozpin nodded. "Thank you, gentlemen. That was all I wanted to talk about."

"And we thank you, Headmaster." Talion said with a small smile as he left for the elevator.

The ranger then began to head towards the Emerald forest to blow off some steam, but was knocked to the ground by a pink blur.

"Nora!" Talion heard a voice yell. "I told you to watch where you're going!"

As he looked up from his position on the ground, the former captain looked around to see a boy with black hair with a single pink stripe and magenta eyes wearing a green and black robe with white pants chastising a girl wearing a sleeveless white shirt, a collared black vest, a pink skirt along with a pair of pink fingerless gloves.

"But Ren!" The girl objected. "You **know** what happens to me when you say you're going to make pancakes." The boy sighed exasperatedly and offered a hand to the ranger, which he took.

"I apologize for Nora's behaviour." He said with a stern look at his partner. "My name is Lie Ren, but you can call me Ren for short.

"I'm Talion and it's alright." Talion said with a light chuckle as he grabbed the hand. "But why does she get so excited about food?" He asked.

"Oh, it's not just any food." The pink-clad girl said with a grin. "These are pancakes made by a master of the fluffiest of foods." She declared excitedly.

Talion chuckled again and looked to the other boy. "Is she always this excited?"

Ren nodded. "Almost always, yes. But especially when I promise to make my pancakes for her. Would you like some as well?"

"No, thank you. I just ate and am going to the forest soon."

Nora's jaw dropped and she slowly began to smile. "You're going to kill some grimm, aren't you? I want to do the same, but Ren and the other Professors won't let me." She said with a pout.

Talion cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Why is that?"

"Because she is who she is." Ren answered. "Without any restraints, Nora could quite easily decimate the entire forest."

"How?" The ranger asked doubtfully.

Nora then grinned and drew Magnhild, aimed it towards a tree that was behind the ranger and fired a grenade at it, transforming the tree into a charred version of its former self.

"Nora!" Ren shouted again. "How am I supposed to explain this to Goodwitch?!" his partner merely shrugged as she slung her weapon across her back while Talion and Celebrimbor gazed in stunned states at the destructive power they had just witnessed.

"Just-just tell her that I asked to see a demonstration of what your friend was capable of and to ask me for further details." Talion said as he recovered from the sudden obliteration of shrubbery.

"Okay well, see ya later, bud!" Nora said as she made a sprint for the cafeteria.

Ren let out another sigh. "I'm sorry, but I should go after her. It was nice meeting you!" He called as he followed behind his partner.

"She seems rather…different." Celebrimbor declared, intrigued.

"That we can agree on." Talion said as he drew Urfael and moved into the Emerald forest.

After three hours of nothing but slaughtering grimm, the ranger and wraith had come to the conclusion that fighting the creatures was more akin to combating caragors and graugs than uruks. Talion walked back from the forest with more than a few scratches, but they slowly began to mend on their own thanks to the wraith's enhancements to his body. He wiped the blood off his sword on the sleeve of his coat and sheathed it, deciding to go back for more tomorrow and spend the rest of the day getting to know the students at Beacon, starting with Ruby's team as she was the one who was the most welcoming to him.

He searched the cafeteria, library and the grounds, but could not find the little Reaper. Talion then saw the blond boy he recognized yesterday walking the grounds and decided to ask him if he knew where Ruby and her friends were.

"Excuse me!" Talion called.

He turned around and upon seeing Talion, smiled slightly. "Yeah?"

"Hi, I'm Talion and I was wondering if you might happen to know where I can find a girl named Ruby? She dresses in red…" Talion was about to go on describing what she looked like before the boy interrupted him.

"Oh, Ruby and her team are up in their dorm right now. You want me to take you there?"

"Uh, yes." Talion replied with a smile. "Please, lead on." The two then headed off towards team RWBY's dorm and the ranger began to strike up a conversation with the boy as they walked the halls.

"If I'm not mistaken, your name is Jaune, correct?"

He nodded back. "That's right. Jaune Arc. I'm the team leader of JNPR. My teammates are Pyrrha, Ren and Nora."

"Wait, did you say Ren and Nora?" Jaune nodded back. "Does Ren have black hair with a pink stripe and is Nora extremely energetic?"

"Yeah, why?"

Talion chuckled. "I think I met them earlier this morning."

Jaune then clucked his tongue and grinned. "Yeah, I forgot that Ren was making pancakes this morning. Honestly, I think the best way to deal with those two is just to try not to make either one of them mad because if you do, the other's going to feel the same way."

"Okay, thanks." He replied with a smile. "Oh and by the way, if you want some training on how to use a sword, you have but to ask."

Jaune then began to frown slightly. "Thanks but um… no thanks. I think I'm good on my own."

"Are you sure? I witnessed your match the other day with other student and I think a little practice would go a long way in beating him." Talion offered.

"He is **not** your son." Celebrimbor stated as he walked alongside his ranger counterpart and Jaune.

"Why does everyone think I need I need help?" Jaune wondered aloud, slightly frustrated.

"What?" Talion asked, ignoring the elf-smith.

"You, Pyrrha, the teachers, everyone thinks I need help when I'm just fine on my own." He stated.

"They're only thinking of what's best for you." The ranger replied.

Jaune sighed and stopped in front of one of the doors. "Team RWBY is right through here." He said before walking away, back down the halls. Talion then knocked on the door and he heard Ruby's voice call for him to come in. Upon entering, he saw Weiss sitting at her desk trying to read while her other three teammates were sitting on their individual beds discussing the worst injury they had survived.

"I once got punched by an ursa and walked away with a bruised jaw." Ruby proudly declared with a smile.

"Being injured is nothing to boast about, Ruby!" Her partner declared.

Yang scoffed as she shot a casual look to Talion and addressed her teammates. "I got beat by this guy and managed to survive that." The blonde brawler said with a smirk.

Talion raised one eyebrow. "So… you're not angry at me?"

Yang shook her head. "Nah, Ruby told me what happened after I passed out and I realize now that that was actually on me. I should've realized you weren't the guy we were looking for instead of just hitting first."

"Okay then. Thank you for taking it in stride. You actually fight quite well." Talion complimented the brawler, making her grin.

"How 'bout you, Tal?" What's the worst injury you've survived?" Ruby inquired.

The ranger pondered the question as he tried to think. Any one of the times when he died would've sufficed as an answer, but he chose the most brutal one he could think of. "A man once cut my neck and I managed to walk away from that. I even killed him afterwards."

"Sounds like White Fang methods." Weiss quietly mumbled, making Blake scowl to herself.

"Okay, I think Tal takes it on that one." Yang declared with a light laugh and a smile.

"Why'd he try to kill you?" Blake asked.

Talion took a seat at one of the empty desks and sat backwards in the chair. "Don't know for sure, but I think it was because he was a crazy guy who wanted to make me a sacrifice or something."

Ruby's eyes were the size of golf balls as she replied. "Well that's… different."

After more friendly banter between the five of them, Ruby was more than happy to take Talion across the hall to introduce him to team JNPR, most of whom he had already met.

"So Pyrrha is a recreational fighter?" Talion asked the other team and his Reaper friend.

The Champion nodded. "Yes, I've participated in the Mistral's regional tournament four times."

"And won all four times." Ruby added.

"If you don't mind my asking, why does your team leader refuse help?" Talion asked the other member of JNPR, their leader not being present for the conversation.

Pyrrha sighed and shrugged, a frown forming on her face. "I don't know. I've tried getting him to train with me on how to use a sword and shield, but he doesn't want anything to do with it. Maybe you could get through to him?" She asked the ranger.

Talion then shook his head. "No, I think that it would be better if you were to train him. You have a sword and shield whereas I would only be able to train him with his sword."

Pyrrha nodded back sadly as Ren glanced at his alarm clock on his nightstand. "Well, we should probably get to bed, our field trip is in two days and we should get all the sleep we can."

"Oh?" The former captain asked, curious. "Where are you going?"

"The forest of Forever Fall." Pyrrha replied.

"And my team's going with." Ruby added.

Talion then smiled. "I think then I might be providing additional protection for your teams on that field trip then."

Ruby smiled and clapped her new friend on the back. "Nice. It'll be good to have you there, Tal.

As the two teams then lay down for the night, the pained howls and roars of grimm could be heard from sundown to midnight, when they killed their assailant, unaware of the fact that the same intruder would come back to exact vengeance the next night.


	4. The Guardians

(AN: So I just want to apologize in advance for how late this chapter is and how short it is. I'm just going through some stuff right now and finding myself more and more depressed each day but I promise that I'll keep the series going until I see it through to the end. But that's enough wallowing my self-pity, I'll let you read.)

To Ruby's surprise, she didn't see Talion again until noon the next day when he emerged from Ozpin's clock tower with a large scratch on his left shoulder.

"What happened, Tal? Are you okay, does it hurt?" She asked, concerned for her new friend's well being.

Talion shook his head as he made for the benches by the statue in the middle of Beacon grounds. "It's nothing, Ruby." He declared.

"Nothing?" She asked doubtfully. "You've got a scratch half the size of your sword on your shoulder. That doesn't look like 'nothing' to me!"

The ranger let loose a pained groan as the little Reaper helped him sit on a nearby bench. "Ruby, I promise you, it's fine." He objected. "See? It's already starting to heal." He then rolled up his sleeve to show that the lengthy claw mark had already begun to recede and his flesh began to mend itself.

She gazed with eyes wide at the sight. "Wow. Is that your semblance? Quick healing?"

"Uh, no. It's actually due to the fact that if I stay away from combat for a time, my body begins to heal itself thanks to my undead friend."

She let loose a loud guffaw at the remark and smiled back from her seat beside him. "Okay semblance, got it." Talion let out a light laugh as he felt the strength begin to return to his muscles and the pain recede.

The ranger spent the afternoon simply shadowing Ruby and her friends from class-to-class, welcome to have some form of human interaction. Throughout the day, Talion had felt Celebrimbor's presence become more light-hearted whenever he appeared, almost like the wraith was happy which was an extremely unusual feeling for the ranger.

That night, they returned to the forests and continued to slaughter more and more grimm, only sustaining light injuries.

The afternoon on the day of the field trip, Talion accompanied teams RWBY, JNPR and CRDL into the forest of Forever Fall, bringing up the rear while Professor Goodwitch stood in front. When the students split off into their own groups and Cardin coerced Jaune into following him, Talion grimaced at the sight of the blond knight showing signs of being uncomfortable in the mace-wielder's company as he walked away from his team. After exhaling deeply, Talion began to patrol around the area where RWBY and NPR were gather their tree sap and Talion thought he heard a low growl emanate from the tree line.

He ignored it and continued to move until a half a dozen ursa majors that Talion recognized as the ones that had killed him the night before last jumped from the underbrush at Ruby and without any warning, Celebrimbor immediately went into a frenzy.

"YOU WILL NOT HARM HER!" The wraith boomed, which to Talion might as well have been a clap of thunder half an inch away from his ear at the volume. The elf-smith had full control over the body they shared as he launched two fire arrows at one ursa, moved with the speed of a shadow to slash a gash in the next one's throat and combined his power of wraith flash and wraith burn to sear the flesh of three of the remaining beasts while the last one attempted to flee. Still enraged, Celebrimbor threw a dagger at near invisible speeds at the monster, causing it to stop in its tracks and roar in pain while the inexplicably furious Elven ring-smith sprinted and shoulder charged its spine, shattering it like an uruk's wooden shield. With a blue glowing sword, he decapitated the ursa and slashed a large hole in the ground.

Once Talion had regained half-control over the body he shared and turned around, the students stared at him in sheer shock at how fast a threat had appeared and even quicker had Talion had dealt with it. Even Nora, who could've dealt with the threat in a mere minute was slack-jawed at the feat. Talion merely gazed around at the faces and sheathed Urfael, making a mental note to have a conversation with the Elven wraith later in the day.

"Um… how did…" Yang started, unable to complete the sentence.

The ranger merely shrugged and chuckled sheepishly. "I'm imbued with special abilities." He replied, returning to his normal patrol route while the students shook themselves out of their stupors and gathered more sap.

After about half an hour of gathering the sap, which had to be repeated several times thanks to Nora's addiction to the sugary substance, another roar made the very air tremble and three quarters of team CRDL rushed out of the trees claiming that an ursa had decided to pick a fight with their team leader. The students then split in half; Ren, Nora, Blake and Yang being sent to retrieve Professor Goodwitch while the others including Talion rushed to the site of the altercation.

Upon seeing Jaune being batted away by the monster, Talion quickly drew his sword and made to viciously destroy the creature that threatened the blond knight's existence but Pyrrha's gloved hand stopped him.

"Just wait." She told him.

The former captain scowled and felt anger grow within his chest. "He'll die without help!" He objected.

Jaune's partner shook her head. "No, he won't." Reluctantly, Talion gave in and only watched as Jaune continued to fight with the bear-grimm and after blocking an attack with his shield and Pyrrha's help, decapitated it with a single slash. Amazed and proud of the boy's accomplishment, Talion found himself smiling.

"A hollow victory." Celebrimbor stated bluntly.

"Uh… what?" Ruby asked. Pyrrha then explained how her semblance allowed for control over metallic objects and even though the ranger realized that his wraith friend was right, he was still happy that Jaune had managed a victory after being defeated by the very boy he was now helping to his feet.

All fourteen of the party then returned to Beacon at five in the afternoon and the symbiotic duo known as the wraith and ranger had a bone to pick with the other.

They were standing beside the empty construction site of the forge tower, which was about a quarter of the way done when Celebrimbor broke the silence.

"Talion, he is not your son. Dirhael passed long ago." He declared, the ghostly figure mirroring the undead man's stance of having his hands clasped behind his back.

"And she is not your daughter." Talion replied. "At least **I** was able to contain my rage unlike yourself."

"Those creatures were strong enough in number and strength to kill us. What chance did she have?"

"A very good one." The ranger pointed out. "Her friends were grouped around her and I have faith that even without our help, the creatures would've fallen before they became a true threat."

Celebrimbor heaved an annoyed sigh. "They are but children…"

"Trained to fight and kill creatures of darkness without fear!" He yelled back. "How are they to grow if the hard work is done for them?"

"With time and learning how to kill within the safety of their classrooms." The wraith declared.

"Knowledge is trumped only by experience. To deny a person experience is to give them a false sense of what is waiting in the world. If the teachers only taught in classrooms then these students would be cut down the second they entered these forests."

"Gentlemen." Ozpin said as he approached from behind. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

Both wraith and ranger glared at each other before Talion answered. "No. Just discussing the events of today."

The Headmaster nodded. "Yes, I've heard talk amongst the students that six ursa majors were killed before any one of them could attack."

"That's right." Talion said with a nod.

"He had some help." The wraith added with a malicious stare.

Ozpin chuckled slightly and took a sip from his coffee mug. "Yes well, I just wanted to thank you both for a job well done and to let you know that if I find anything else for either of you to do, I will let you know." He then bid them both a goodnight and headed back to his clock tower.

The two did not enter either forest that night but instead stood atop the cliff discussing what would be best for the leaders of teams RWBY and JNPR.


	5. Nearing the Breaking Point

Chapter 5:

(AN: So I just want to let you guys know I'm feeling much better than when I posted the last chapter after a brief self-reflection and some uplifting speeches from friends. That and watching a few videos about Shadow of War. SO HYPED UP!. Anyway, I'll let you guys read.)

With the single body now a house divided, Wraith and Ranger fighting over which methods a student should be taught and how they should each be parented, conversation between the two was now kept to a relative silence, each only speaking when it was absolutely necessary. Days and days went by as the two remained silent to each other and they continually went into the forests at night to relieve their anger at each other and unleashing it upon the creatures of grimm.

With the Eldar tower at halfway done, tensions were high between the two as they watched the sunset on the cliff arguing as usual.

" **She** is not your daughter!" Talion shouted at the wraith.

"And **he** is not your son!" Celebrimbor thundered back. "Do not forget that it was by my power that your were brought back from the dead when you should've been cast into the eternal abyss, ranger." The elf-smith spat the name.

Talion let out a scoff and outstretched his arms. "Fine then. If you wish to release me, do it. As the Tower said, I am but a vessel for you. Cast off my form, Celebrimbor, and find someone else to do your bidding." He snapped defiantly. The ranger then closed his eyes and raised his head to the sky, ready for whatever fate awaited him when the wraith left his body.

Celebrimbor was sorely tempted to take the former-captain up on his request as his rage boiled over but Professor Ozpin's presence interrupted his thought process.

"Gentlemen. I trust things are going well between the two of you?" He asked with what almost looked like a smirk. Wraith and ranger shot each other a glare of malice and frustration while the Headmaster let out a light laugh.

"In all seriousness though, I have another job that needs doing."

"What is it?" Talion asked.

Ozpin took a sip from his mug and gazed at the contents. "An entire first-year team didn't show up for classes today and I've heard rumors that they went into the Emerald forest for reasons unknown." He then looked up at the duo. "Please. I do not wish to send letters to four families explaining that their sons and daughters have died while training here."

Talion took a deep breath and nodded slightly. "We'll start searching now." He declared as the man turned around and leapt off the cliff.

Ozpin took another swig from his mug and chuckled lightly. _I pity whatever dark forces those two are facing._

Celebrimbor's spectral form shielded Talion from the damage that would've undoubtedly broken anyone else's legs as he slammed into the ground at terminal velocity. Silently, he moved forward into the jade-themed forest and kept his senses alert for any signs of human life.

As he crouch-walked through the shrubbery with Acharn drawn, a faint groan emanated from deep within the heart of the forest and he stopped.

"It sounds as though a student still lives." Celebrimbor stated. The ranger silently agreed and began to move towards the sound. After a few kilometres of no life, the two came across a beowolf with its back to them. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, Talion quietly crept up behind the beast, jumped on its back and slashed his son's shattered sword across the wolf-grimm's throat.

Too busy revelling in his minor victory, another beowolf began to sprint out of the forest behind Talion and jumped through the air. Fortunately for him though, Celebrimbor was able to see the beast coming and flipped it onto its side like he would a charging caragor. The other attacker's body landed directly in front of the ranger and Talion stabbed his dagger into the monster's neck, causing immediate death.

Talion turned around to see Celebrimbor merely staring at him. "Vessel or not, I still need you alive. Stay alert."

The former captain grunted and moved forth, back towards the sound. A small meadow soon came into view and against one of the trees was a boy wearing jeans and a red t-shirt with a slightly bloodied rag tied around his right thigh. Talion approached the boy and noticed that he was barely conscious with eyelids drooping and breaths coming out shallow and laboured.

He sheathed his dagger and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder before shaking him. "Hey." No response.

He shook harder. "Hey!"

The pair of pale brown eyes looked up at Talion. "Oth-others."

"Take it easy." He urged the boy.

He meekly nodded and after a moment, spoke again. "My team… two north and one west." He took another minute and regained his breath. "We don't have our weapons. Grimm ambushed us."

Talion then unsheathed Acharn and offered it to the boy. "Take this and stay here. I will be back with your friends shortly."

The boy nodded and took the dagger as Talion moved west in an effort to group the team together as quickly as possible rather than leaving the one to fend for themselves longer than what was necessary.

A loud roar boomed from the north and Talion stopped.

"MOVE!" Celebrimbor shouted as he imbued his ranger counterpart with enhanced speed that nearly rivalled ruby's as he sprinted westward. Thanks to the elf-smith's vision, they were able to track another student's footprints to a large shrub where she was hiding from any grimm that came her way.

The ranger convinced the girl that he was on her side and they ran through the forest back to where Talion had found the first boy.

"Gil!" She shouted upon seeing her teammate.

The boy's head shot up and he tried to get up but his leg failed him, causing a faceplant into the ground. She rushed to his side and lay him back against the tree. "I'm so happy you're okay, Rene." He said as he gingerly cupped her cheek with a smile.

A feeling of happiness welled within Talion's chest before he sprinted to the north where the roar had originated. As they moved, another roar was heard and Talion maintained his speed, swiftly moving towards all the noise.

The first thing he saw was a student lying on the ground with arms raised while an ursa major towered in front of him, claws ready to deliver a final slash. Wraith and ranger silently agreed to let Celebrimbor fire two arrows from Azkar at the beast, causing it to reel back in pain and shock from the unanticipated attack. With a primitive war cry, Talion charged forth and slammed his shoulder into the beast's fleshy stomach, causing a few ribs to break as he wraith-stunned the ursa and the two of them took turns mercilessly slashing at the unprotected stomach before Talion placed his left hand underneath its jaw and detonated the head.

The lifeless corpse fell backwards and the ranger helped the boy to his feet. "Where's your other teammate?"

The black haired boy pointed upwards as a feminine figure quickly descended the trees and embraced Talion seconds after landing.

"Thank you so much! I thought for sure we were dead!" She cried out. Talion was slow to return the hug at first but after a brief moment, he hugged back.

"I was just doing what needed to be done." He stated.

The girl shook her head and looked into his eyes. "No, you could've died yourself but instead put yourself in harm's way for us. I can't think of anything else to call you other than a hero."

"Agreed." The boy chimed in with a nod.

Talion smiled back and guided them back towards their other two teammates. Once the team became whole, Gil gave Talion back his dagger and thanked him as the girl known as Rene shouldered his weight.

The trek back to Beacon was long, but after the team had been returned to Beacon grounds and given a very stern and very, very loud talking to by Professor Goodwitch, they returned to their dorms.

Professor Ozpin joined Talion and Celebrimbor in front of the large statue and nodded. "Thank you. Team Garnet is back as they should be and none the worse for wear other than their leader's slight leg injury."

Celebrimbor shrugged. "You gave us a task that needed to be done and we did it. Nothing more."

Ozpin gave the spectre a warm smile. "Not to them. To them, you are their saviours and are forever in your debt."

"Then tell them that all we ask is for them to protect others as we did for them." Talion said. "One good deed should multiply by however many people it affects.

"Yes…" Celebrimbor affirmed. "Kindness should not be stopped once it is given, rather relayed onto another."

Ozpin smiled and nodded. "Couldn't have said it better myself. Have a good night, Talion, Bright Master." He said to them both before returning to his office.

The two then began to gaze at the shattered moon as it rose from the horizon. Celebrimbor phased beside the ranger and sighed. "A beautiful sight."

"Yes. I wish the people of Middle Earth could gaze upon the sun and moon without Sauron's armies threatening them."

After a moment of silence, Celebrimbor spoke. "Talion…I would like to apologize for my earlier outburst."

The ranger shook his head. "There is no need, my friend. I realize now that we are two different people with separate views on everything. We should not direct our anger at each other, but focus it on the Dark Lord and his army."

"That would be for the best." Celebrimbor agreed.

That night, neither of them felt the need to descend into the forests as they talked and their friendship was renewed.


	6. Where Now?

Another week went by and with progress of the Eldar tower going as scheduled now at three-quarters of completion with only another week until it would be ready to transport the Bright Lord back to Middle Earth, Talion and Celebrimbor were honing their combat skills each and every night before the ranger had a question for his spectral companion as they strode across the empty Beacon grounds just as the sunrise broke.

"Celebrimbor, how is it that the girl you interrogated did not remember you?"

"Quite simply, after an interrogation that does not either brand or kill the target, an amnesia-like effect is cast on them. For example, do you remember the failure of an orc we assisted in becoming a warchief?"

Talion pursed his lips in thought and struggled to remember the name. "Ratbag?"

The wraith nodded. "Did you notice that not once after I bore into his thoughts as to who his rival was did he bring up my name or ask you who I was?"

"Huh." Talion grunted as he shook his head. "No, not until now did I notice."

"Only those who are branded or bear extreme power can perceive my existence." Celebrimbor explained.

Talion nodded as Professor Goodwitch approached and Celebrimbor once again faded into the wraith world. "Good morning Professor." He greeted the blonde woman with a smile. "How can I help you?"

"Good morning Talion." She replied back. "I actually need you to help me with a demonstration." She declared.

"And what kind of demonstration might that be?"

"The kind that involves combat. My students are not able to grasp the importance of being able to gauge your aura and need to be taught the basics of how to take a defensive stance." The request raised a concern in the ranger's mind, but Goodwitch dismissed it with her next statement. "I realize that your body is not imbued with aura and whenever you take damage you simply bleed however, I need someone who is proficient in combat with a melee weapon. I would also ask that you do not use any of your enhanced abilities as not to arouse more suspicion among the population." She added.

Talion digested the information and turned to the ring-smith who phased beside the ranger. "So you want me to fight as though any other man would? Just using my sword without Celebrimbor's assistance?"

She nodded back. "Just take on a defensive stance and wear down your opponent until they give in, that's all you have to do."

Celebrimbor shrugged. "It would be a good opportunity to help the students and staff."

The former captain silently agreed with his ghostly counterpart and nodded to Professor Goodwitch. "Very well, when will this demonstration take place?"

The blonde Professor looked at her scroll. "In four hours, please come to the sparring arena."

"Yes ma'am." He replied as she turned on her heel and walked towards her class. Once out of earshot, the wraith phased in front of Talion once more.

"This will be interesting to see how you can fare against one of the students."

The ranger nodded in agreement. "Yes with your assistance, there would be no competition but by myself…" He deliberately trailed off.

"The students will have a chance." His counterpart finished for him as they continued to tour around Beacon grounds until they were due to perform for Goodwitch's class.

As Talion entered the sparring arena from one end and drew Urfael to prepare for the match, Goodwitch gave a speech.

"Students, it has come to my attention that while you all possess significant aggressive abilities, you all lack in defense." She declared bluntly, earning a few murmurs from the stands. "To show you how a defensive approach can be used to take down an opponent, our huntsman friend here will duel against one of you and he will only parry or block your attacks." Talion nodded at the statement with a small smile to the crowd. Goodwitch then randomly selected a student and Yang was eventually chosen as the ranger's competitor.

With a mischievous smirk, she descended the steps and vaulted over the stands, landing in the arena already dressed in her combat gear.

"Begin when you wish, Ms. Xiao Long." Goodwitch told the blonde brawler. Yang wasted no time as she charged forward and aimed a straight jab at his face. The former captain rolled out of the way and prepared for the next attack. She fired four rounds from her gauntlets and again, Talion dodged the attack with a roll.

Frustrated, she ran forward and threw punch after punch but no blows hit their mark as the undead ranger blocked each one and threw Yang's arm to the side, which would've left her open to a counter attack. This continued for several minutes until the brawler activated her semblance, leapt into the air and slammed into the ground with concussive force where Talion had been standing just a second ago and she let out an enraged shout as Yang continued to fire her gauntlets and strike where she thought her opponent wouldn't expect it.

However, Talion's enhanced reflexes were simply too fast as he dodged and blocked every single attack, leaving Yang utterly exhausted and out of breath.

The ranger looked to Goodwitch who nodded slowly. "Begin your attack."

Two blows. That was all it took to lower Yang's aura below the fifteen percent mark as she attempted to block a diagonal slash followed by a solid kick to the stomach. Talion's sword came down and with gauntlets raised, Yang blocked the first strike, but Talion quickly recovered and sent another, breaking her guard as he felt the sword slice through the invisible shield and his foot met her mid-section.

"Very good." Goodwitch declared as Talion sheathed his sword and Yang recovered her breath, lying face up on the cold floor of the sparring arena. "Students, as you can plainly see, our huntsman was able to wear down Ms. Xiao Long's aura without landing a blow until she was exhausted and open to a counter attack. However in the real world, your enemy will not show mercy and will not fight fairly."

"Exactly." Talion added as he helped his opponent to her feet. "Do not underestimate your enemy as well. Their strengths may be hidden from view and might not appear until they deliver the final blow." He declared, remembering several times when he thought an uruk would be an easy target only to discover that they were far more than a challenge for him.

"That is why they must defend, to observe their opponent's movements and attacks and learn how to counter them." Celebrimbor whispered. Talion echoed his words to the crowd, which earned a few muffled 'Ahhs and ohhhhs.'

Goodwitch hummed in thought and nodded. "Yes, I guess that's another advantage of being on the defensive. But also remember that you must find the perfect balance between the two or face defeat." She addressed her students. The dismissal bell rang and everyone filed out save for Yang who hung back to converse with Talion.

"I'm sorry, I was just doing as instructed." He declared apologetically.

The blonde brawler shook her head and rolled her shoulders to relieve the pain. "Meh, don't worry about it. You're pretty good. You should actually be a teacher here, take over Goodwitch's class." She suggested before returning to the locker room to change into her uniform and head off to her next class.

The ranger pondered the statement and walked up to the telekinetic teacher with an unusual amount of nervousness. "Ms. Goodwitch?"

"Yes Talion?"

"Would you…" He sighed. "Would you allow for me to take over the sparring portion of your class for the last week that I'm here? You'd still be the aura coach of course, but I simply want to experience what it would be like to teach a class in fighting."

To his surprise, Goodwitch shrugged and agreed. When asked why, her response was this: "You've lived and died a fair few times, correct?" The ranger nodded in affirmation. "Then you have far more experience in combat than any of the students here and perhaps even some of the professors. So if you can teach our students how to avoid death, I don't see a problem with it and I know Ozpin wouldn't."

He rubbed the back of his neck in sheer astonishment and began to stutter. "I-I-I… Thank-thank you! I don't know what to say."

She waved him off. "Don't worry, just be prepared to deal some of the more stubborn students and get ready to teach the next class coming in now." She declared pointing to several students who were walking into the stands and chatting among their small groups.

And so the final week went by extremely quickly for Talion and Celebrimbor, the ranger observing a student's basic fighting stance, attacking motions and weapon characteristics while Celebrimbor observed what their semblance was and relayed how they might better incorporate it into a confrontation with either other people or grimm.

Ozpin had called Talion into his office and the ranger leaned up against a stone pillar while the Headmaster spoke from behind his desk with Celebrimbor.

"…And so Bright Master, the tower is finished and you are now able to leave whenever you wish."

The wraith nodded back. "Thank you Headmaster. Your generosity cannot be repaid."

He chuckled back. "Actually, you've already done so in saving my students from a lethal fate and taught them in combat. All that I ask is that you vanquish this 'Dark Lord' from your lands and help others."

The elf-smith nodded with what almost looked like a smile. "We will. Talion, let us away. Sauron's army requires a new ruler." The ranger nodded as Celebrimbor faded into the wraith world and Talion left the clock tower's office. As he strode towards the tower, a red cyclone enshrouded in rose petals slammed into him and knocked him to the ground.

"Tal! You didn't think you could leave without saying goodbye, did you?!" She asked as she buried her head into his stomach due to her height.

Talion chuckled and returned the embrace as he lay on the grass. "You're right, I'm sorry. I just got focused on my destination."

Ruby then let go of him and they got up before she addressed him again. "By the way, I think Jaune wants to tell you something." She declared as the blond knight in question approached with a sheepish look on his face.

"So… I just…" He exhaled deeply and Talion felt a smile grace his lips.

"Take your time." He said soothingly.

Jaune nodded and looked Talion in the eyes. "I just wanted to say thanks for trying to put me on the right path. I was just trying to prove that I could do things by myself rather than asking someone else for help."

"Don't worry. Your allies are who make you strong and more often than not, zeal with contribute to failure rather than success." He stated. Jaune nodded and extended his hand with a smile.

"Thanks. You should come back and visit in a while." He said as Talion returned the gesture.

Ruby nodded ecstatically. "Yeah! Just drop in whenever you want, I'm sure General Ironwood won't mind if you take a break from the Atlesian military."

"A student's rumor, just go with it!" Celebrimbor advised.

"Yes. The General won't mind at all." Talion replied.

Jaune nodded. "Okay Ruby, Ozpin told us his airship's leaving soon so we should probably let him go."

After one last quick hug from Ruby and a handshake from Jaune, the Bright Lord scaled the Eldar tower and slammed his hammer down on the anvil in the middle, suddenly teleporting them back into Middle Earth and specifically, the tower by the Nurnen fishery.

"All will bow before the Bright Lord." Their combined voices declared, making the very air shudder in fear.

(Well, there it is. I'll admit, this wasn't exactly the way I wanted the story to end. It was kind of abrupt but I ran out of steam around chapter 4 so I had two decisions: either keep pumping out shitty chapter after shitty chapter **or** finish on a half-decent note so that I can focus on my other three fanfics in progress. By the way, never work on more than two stories at maximum at a time, otherwise you'll just fuck up your brain seven ways to Sunday. by the way, I found out a couple days ago that the Bright Master and Bright Lord are two different beings. Celebrimbor is the Bright Master whereas the Bright Lord is Talion and Celebrimbor's bodies combined.)

Hope you guys enjoyed it and I encourage you to please check out my other RWBY stories or Rainbow Six Siege works.

Follow your hopes and never believe those who doubt you.

Yours truly, Vanguard523


	7. Sequel!

Hey, just wanted to let everyone know that a sequel is currently in progress. I'm calling it 'The Huntresses of Mordor." If you're interested, go on my profile and look for it under my stories. Hope you guys enjoy!


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